Rip Van Winkle Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Rip Van Winkle Bridge is a cantilever bridge
spanning the Hudson River
between Hudson, NY
and Catskill, New York
. The structure carries NY 23
across the river, connecting on the west side, US 9W
and NY 385
with NY 9G
on the east side. The bridge was built by the newly created New York State Bridge Authority
, opening on July 2, 1935, at a cost of $2.4 million. Upon its opening, the toll was USD $0.80 per passenger car and USD $0.10 per passenger up to $1. It extends 5,040 feet (1536 m) across the river, with a ship clearance of 145 feet (44 m).
The bridge is named after the short story of the same name
by Washington Irving
.
A multi-year repainting project was completed in 2009 which removed all lead-based paint.
The bridge includes a pedestrian walkway on the south side of the bridge which is open from dawn to dusk. Cyclist may use the roadway or may walk their cycles across the pedestrian walkway.
Cantilever bridge
A cantilever bridge is a bridge built using cantilevers, structures that project horizontally into space, supported on only one end. For small footbridges, the cantilevers may be simple beams; however, large cantilever bridges designed to handle road or rail traffic use trusses built from...
spanning the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
between Hudson, NY
Hudson, New York
Hudson is a city located along the west border of Columbia County, New York, United States. The city is named after the adjacent Hudson River and ultimately after the explorer Henry Hudson.Hudson is the county seat of Columbia County...
and Catskill, New York
Catskill (village), New York
Catskill is a village in Greene County, New York, USA. The population was 4,081 at the 2010 census.The Village of Catskill is in the northeast part of the Town of Catskill. Catskill is the county seat of Greene County.-History:...
. The structure carries NY 23
New York State Route 23
New York State Route 23 is an east–west state highway in the eastern portion New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 26 in the Central New York town of Cincinnatus to the Massachusetts state line in the Berkshire Mountains, where it continues east as...
across the river, connecting on the west side, US 9W
U.S. Route 9W
U.S. Route 9W is a north–south U.S. Highway in the states of New Jersey and New York. It begins on Fletcher Avenue in Fort Lee, New Jersey as it crosses the US 1 & 9, US 46, and the Interstate 95 approaches to the George Washington Bridge, where it heads north up the west...
and NY 385
New York State Route 385
New York State Route 385 is a state highway in Greene County, New York, United States. It runs from the village of Catskill to the village of Coxsackie, serving as an alternate route of U.S. Route 9W between the two locations. While US 9W follows a more inland routing, NY 385...
with NY 9G
New York State Route 9G
New York State Route 9G is a state highway in the Hudson Valley of New York in the United States. It runs north from U.S. Route 9 at Poughkeepsie, starting out as Violet Avenue, then follows the Hudson River mostly along the eastern side of the US 9 to Rhinebeck, where the two...
on the east side. The bridge was built by the newly created New York State Bridge Authority
New York State Bridge Authority
The New York State Bridge Authority is a public benefit corporation in New York State, United States. The NYSBA was born out of the necessity for a bridge over the Hudson River to link the city of Hudson and the village of Catskill.-History:...
, opening on July 2, 1935, at a cost of $2.4 million. Upon its opening, the toll was USD $0.80 per passenger car and USD $0.10 per passenger up to $1. It extends 5,040 feet (1536 m) across the river, with a ship clearance of 145 feet (44 m).
The bridge is named after the short story of the same name
Rip Van Winkle
"Rip Van Winkle" is a short story by the American author Washington Irving published in 1819, as well as the name of the story's fictional protagonist. Written while Irving was living in Birmingham, England, it was part of a collection entitled The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon...
by Washington Irving
Washington Irving
Washington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century. He was best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle", both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works...
.
A multi-year repainting project was completed in 2009 which removed all lead-based paint.
The bridge includes a pedestrian walkway on the south side of the bridge which is open from dawn to dusk. Cyclist may use the roadway or may walk their cycles across the pedestrian walkway.
External links and Resources
- New York State Bridge Authority - Official site
- Historical Overview: Rip Van Winkle Bridge - NYCRoads.com